047 – Orient To The Enemies Activities

 “Half of the group is on each side of the street, under the balconies. It looks like the leader is on our side, somewhere.” Steven took the moment to pull the charging handle on his crossbow, and then put a bolt into it.

Steven then continued his crouched movement down the side road and when he felt he was far enough from the intersection, he stood up and leapt across the street. Steven landed on this balcony, and continued through the middle of the block. In the middle he turned to his left to go through that alley to get a look at the market. He noticed that this level had a balcony around its outer level that looked down to the road below. There were regular pillars around that supported a vaulted ceiling above, making this level about half way between the road directly below and the next road level above. The buildings were evidently built with some regard for structure, but otherwise looked like any city block, store fronts and hole-in-the-wall shops, alleys, and back doors, and a second floor above and in some places a third that went up to the vault that supported the next level of city.

Steven took cover beside a support pillar, and looked out into the street, crossbow leading, as he had once learned to do with a battle rifle. He quickly found a target and aim point, and let fly. Then he backed up around the pillar and back into the shadow of the alley. Caspian and Abey were waiting. Abey was bouncing her hands together, in a manor that reminded of when she had been at the pit in the village, waiting to go in.

As Steven pulled on the charging handle to reload he spoke. “Three down. It looks like they are going to come in this direction. If my guess is right, they will either partly split and try to clear this level, or just make a run for it.”

Caspian, for all his skill that he had developed in personal fights, was out of his depth in an urban battle. Abey was just tagging along, and staying out of the way, for now. She asked the useful question.

“So, what do we do?”

Steven turned back to look around the alley corner at the intersection. He watched an exchange of volleys and saw the leader and a handful of men come in his direction. He turned back to Abey.

“These locals are doing alright, but most of the army is going to get out of the intersection. That may be the plan. Either way, if we can get the leader, we can hopefully diffuse this part of the fight. Presuming their command structure and training is only to fight as far as he is and will.” Steven turned back to look around the corner. He could see most of the other side of the street, and some of this.

“I need to see what is happening on this side. Is there any kind of offensive magic you can use?” Steven asked this to Caspian as he looked for a place to cross, whether to leap or a bridge.

“I could, but most of it is either close in and personal, or really flashy and not much good in a closed battle field. I can move us around, and do some shielding, but I’m afraid I am better in a brawl.” Caspian had been racking his mind for ideas on what he could do to help, and aside from shields and movement, could not think of much that would not also do significant property damage.

Steven spotted a bridge that looked to be at the far end of this block, going in the direction they had been. That might be enough.

“Alright, come on. We are going to that bridge to see if we can get a better look.” Steven took off back into the alley to the center of the block, turned left and went to the end, and leapt across to the far side of this street. From here he crouched as he quickly scuttled to the center of the bridge.

Steven was clear of the smoke here. Staying crouched, he pulled out his binoculars and looked down the block. The dark uniformed bowmen on the road level were leapfrogging their positions under the balconies and advancing, while those staying put looked for targets. Steven counted ten teams on each side still advancing; meaning about a third of the force was not advancing where he could easily see them. He looked up where the militia men had been, and saw that those were occupied by dark uniforms. Two groups were smashing windows of a structure there.

“Looks like they have split up. Maybe a third of the force on this level, the rest still below. They have cleared the militia off.”

Movement caught Steven’s attention as he put the glasses down. He looked through them again. The men that had been smashing the windows, that group was all on the ground with arrows in them.

Abey pulled on his arm. “Look there, on the lower level. Looks like some militia attacked from that alley.”

Steven put the glasses down and then looked back thorough where Abey pointed. In front of the mouth of the alley, four men lay with arrows or bolts sticking out of them. Bowmen from across the street fired into the alley, and then moved on.

Caspian spoke the conclusion before Steven quite got to it. “Looks like the locals have this whole area set up for ambush. It makes sense to shoot with bow and crossbow, as hand fighting these regulars would most likely get them killed.”

Abey saw the pattern first. Her experience with herds helping her to pick it out quickest. “It looks like the longbow men are the leaders of the groups. And that they are working with four groups to a team.”

Steven handed Abey the binoculars. “Try this. See if you can pick out and tell me who the leaders are. Turn the dial under you finger to focus the image.”

Steven recharged and reloaded his cross bow, and got it shouldered as Abey got the binoculars figured out. She started speaking, and Steven tried to follow her directions.

“On the left, the closest group. The longbow man is the second man, crouching behind the bench. I think he is a leader of four.” Abey called this out.

Steven had to concentrate to see that far, and picture his aim point. He adjusted and fired. He had the bow down and pulling on the charging handle, when Abey spoke.

“A hit. But not a kill.”

Steven made a decision. “We move. Not more than two shots from a place.”

Steven got up and sprinted to his right, and leapt up onto the roof top and carefully moved into the background. Shortly Abey and Caspian joined him.

Steven looked at Caspian for a moment. “Where’s Cyrril?”

Caspian paused and looked distant, than came back. “He is somewhere above in one of the arches. Does not want to come down.”

Steven nodded. “So long as he stays out of the way and does not get hurt.”

Steven considered the situation for a moment. It looked that Caspian had for now ceded the lead to Steven. Abey was also following; she still had the binoculars, holding them carefully. The locals had their own plan, which looked to be summed up as harassment by the militia. Whether this was until regulars could show up or some other next step, Steven did not have any clue. So what were his objectives? Get the Leader as a prisoner, seamed to be the thought that kept pushing itself into his mind. Next was to work with the locals, and help their plan.

Steven looked at his little fire team.

“Abey, you are going to be my spotter. You tell me where the leaders are, so I can shoot at them. I am down by four, so I have twenty shots left. Caspian, can you move things around, like grab the cart and drag it across the street, or some like?”

Caspian nodded, that was easily within his capacity, but he had not considered it as applicable here. “Yeah, I can do that.”

Steven nodded. “Good. Wait for me to tell you what, and then do it immediately. This has become a war; there are no rules, only objectives. Our objectives are to capture the leader, while assisting the locals. If you are concerned about fair, as far as I am concerned, it means ‘we survive.’ If you have anything to add, feel free to, but don’t be dangerous in doing so. Now, we go around here, and see what we can see. Abey keep an arms length between you and what ever cover is in front of you, and don’t get out of the shadows if you can. I will try to shoot over you. Ready?”

They nodded and Steven led out.